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Old 04-17-2016, 12:02 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
150k is pretty average for retirement of buses. Generally we look for something under 200k.

interesting.. I never realized they ran that many miles on them.. I wouldve figured 100k or so..

I should feel lucky that mine has 85k on the body and from what "appears" to be 40 or less on the motor / tranny.. (it was overheated from the pieces i can put together)..

-Christopher

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Old 04-17-2016, 01:00 PM   #22
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Yeah, typical motor pool SOP. Signs of trouble and they will put a vehicle on the chopping block.

Oh, that's too bad. You've only got 15k left before you hit the magic number of 100k. With proper care you should be able to exceed 300k. These are industrial vehicles.
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Old 04-17-2016, 06:13 PM   #23
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Engine: DTA360 / MT643
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Yeah, typical motor pool SOP. Signs of trouble and they will put a vehicle on the chopping block.

Oh, that's too bad. You've only got 15k left before you hit the magic number of 100k. With proper care you should be able to exceed 300k. These are industrial vehicles.

Lol and only like 40k on the drivetrain.. the motor and trans were replaced at the same time... I pretty much have a new bus.. which is good since I plan to put Miles on it.. Lots of them..

-Christopher
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Old 04-17-2016, 06:22 PM   #24
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My baby JUST clocked 151K miles with 22K miles on the rebuild. The engine runs super sweet, she shifts like new, and she has a sure-footed driving feel. NO slop in the steering at all!

Hope this helps.

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Old 04-17-2016, 07:54 PM   #25
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Mine seems to wander a bit, but have you noticed how skinny the back county roads are. It's exciting to pass a logging truck that also takes up a full half of the road.

I've got like 164k on mine. I've only put a couple hundred miles on it since I've had it. Working on stripping the interior now that heat isn't an issue.

On a side note if there are any Korean grocery stores in your city you can get usually a electric heating pad about the size of your mattress. Actually they seem to come in twin and full size approximately. Just got one, about $60, but that might have been on sale. I think they're usually about $100. Blanket sales aren't so good this time of year. No link.
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Old 04-18-2016, 03:02 AM   #26
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I would be highly suspicious of any odometer on a school bus that old that says it only has 31K miles.

On average, over the life of a bus, most buses put on 10K per year. In the early years perhaps as many as 20K but in the later years, particularly if they spend time on the spare line, less than 5K per year. 15 years=150K miles.

As it has been noted above, increasing the HP will not increase the top speed. Increasing HP will allow you to keep going the top speed without slowing down on any hill.

In order to go faster you will need to change the final gearing. The easy and cheap way to get about 5 MPH more top speed is to replace the current tires with taller tires. Another way would be to change the rear end gearing to a lower numerical number in order to get the top speed up. But in order to go faster you will most probably need more HP to do it. More HP can cause overheating problems, particularly on hills in hot weather.

Which is why I advocate very strongly to find a bus with the power package and gearing you want at the start. It may cost more than the one that is close by but you will save many $$$$$ over for what it will cost to update and upgrade a bus that won't travel at highway speed.
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Old 04-19-2016, 03:43 AM   #27
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I would be highly suspicious of any odometer on a school bus that old that says it only has 31K miles.

On average, over the life of a bus, most buses put on 10K per year. In the early years perhaps as many as 20K but in the later years, particularly if they spend time on the spare line, less than 5K per year. 15 years=150K miles.

As it has been noted above, increasing the HP will not increase the top speed. Increasing HP will allow you to keep going the top speed without slowing down on any hill.

In order to go faster you will need to change the final gearing. The easy and cheap way to get about 5 MPH more top speed is to replace the current tires with taller tires. Another way would be to change the rear end gearing to a lower numerical number in order to get the top speed up. But in order to go faster you will most probably need more HP to do it. More HP can cause overheating problems, particularly on hills in hot weather.

Which is why I advocate very strongly to find a bus with the power package and gearing you want at the start. It may cost more than the one that is close by but you will save many $$$$$ over for what it will cost to update and upgrade a bus that won't travel at highway speed.
spot on! gearing first; and then hp; to help reach new top end speed diesels are torquers and dont like to rev unless yor a 5.9 with 4k springs and heavier duty valve train/ titanium components. then you like to rev. most have a sweet spot right around the torque peak
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Old 04-19-2016, 03:46 AM   #28
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im looking at a 3.55 for highway speeds. its 4.44/60 now.
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Old 04-19-2016, 06:25 AM   #29
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im looking at a 3.55 for highway speeds. its 4.44/60 now.
4.44/60 is pretty good.
How fast you looking to take the easy bake oven?
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Old 04-22-2016, 10:54 PM   #30
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Well I thought I had a bus, but some dude from florida sent a mechanic to look at them and i guess he put a high max bid on them. every time i bid im instantly out bid..... starting to give up on this dream. Been trying to buy a bus for almost a year now
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Old 04-23-2016, 06:30 AM   #31
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Well I thought I had a bus, but some dude from florida sent a mechanic to look at them and i guess he put a high max bid on them. every time i bid im instantly out bid..... starting to give up on this dream. Been trying to buy a bus for almost a year now
BGA buys a lot of these type buses. I'll bet it was them.
Someone will give em 6 or 7 grand for it, plus fees.
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Old 04-23-2016, 08:23 AM   #32
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Well dang. What a bunch of buttholes. lol. I found some selling this week in Texas. gonna try for one of those
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Old 04-23-2016, 08:51 AM   #33
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auctions are tough tough... because of dealers and those buying busses to send for export.. esp down south as many are bought for export..

what if you talk to the mechanic that went out for the people in florida.. he may know of other busses for sale.. also try going and writing or calling the transportation department at SMALLER school districts around the area.. often they will sell busses to private individuals ifthey know someone is looking... its easier for them to sell a bus to you than it is for them to go through the trouble of consigning it to an auction house..

EVERYONE looks at those auctions. . professionals and individuals too..

my first bus came frm a guy that had talked to all of the smaller counties and districts around the area and ended up with a bus..

there was no bidding and such.. you just talk to shops and such to find out who sells them..

maybe go about it that way instead of trying to buy from a dealer or an auction site.. also likely the same mechanic that went out for the group in florida might also know some people.. and also would look at busses for you as well if you shoot him a little finders fee..

-Christopher
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Old 04-23-2016, 08:56 PM   #34
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Well I thought I had a bus, but some dude from florida sent a mechanic to look at them and i guess he put a high max bid on them. every time i bid im instantly out bid..... starting to give up on this dream. Been trying to buy a bus for almost a year now
craigslist, kiji 5 mile, all have buses for sale.
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